 "Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end-of-year press conference in Moscow on December 19, 2025. - AFP/File")
The Kremlin said on Monday that territorial issues remain central to Russia’s position on ending the war in Ukraine, following trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States held in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, according to state news agency TASS.
Putin insists on full control of Donbas
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly maintained that Russia will seek full control of Ukraine’s Donbas region — around 90 percent of which is currently under Russian occupation — unless Kyiv agrees to cede the territory as part of a peace settlement.
“It is no secret that this is our consistent position, and the position of our president, that the territorial question is of fundamental importance for the Russian side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying, describing it as part of the so-called “Anchorage formula”.
What Moscow calls the ‘Anchorage formula’
The “Anchorage formula” refers to what Moscow claims was discussed and agreed upon between US President Donald Trump and Putin during a summit in Alaska last August, according to a source close to the Kremlin.
Under the reported framework, Ukraine would hand over control of the entire Donbas region to Russia, while front lines in other parts of eastern and southern Ukraine would be frozen as part of a broader peace deal.
Kyiv rejects territorial concessions
Ukraine has repeatedly rejected any proposal that involves surrendering territory not fully captured by Russian forces, insisting it will not legitimise what it calls illegal occupation.
Talks seen as ‘constructive’, more expected
Despite the lack of a breakthrough, Russian officials struck a cautiously positive tone. State news agency RIA quoted Peskov as saying Moscow viewed the Abu Dhabi discussions as “constructive”.
The US-brokered talks ended without an agreement, but all sides are expected to return to the table for further negotiations next weekend.